My strongest first impressions of the photo/video industry are the similarities in crossover to design, specifically in terms of what you’re capable of doing. The first example that comes to mind was our very first presenter, Paolo Tossolini. His work opened my eyes to using different means of equipment in unique ways that are unexpected and highly inventive. I’d heard of the Matterport system prior to his presentation and I’d only considered its use for housing and real estate purposes, but after seeing his work and hearing his perspective of generating ideas it completely changed the way I view possibilities in equipment/programs. It was great to see something that is typically used in one setting for other experiences that take you far outside of the box. This gave me the impression that opportunities are only limited if you make them that way, otherwise if you’re experimenting with ideas and keeping an open mind, possibilities can be unlimited; it’s really changed the way I approach many projects at this point. I felt it was also a great example of using both worlds of photo and design in a truly unique way.
This past week was my first week of narrative filmmaking and it opened my eyes to the world of video for the first time. I was surprised by what I learned: each camera angle serves a specific purpose of drawing the viewer in and telling a story in order to evoke emotion and comprehension. And now it’s challenging me to approach these projects in the same manner which is a whole new adventure. It’s exciting because I can tell that I’m already taking this knowledge and starting to think in a completely new way for myself. Even when watching show and movies I can’t help but pay more attention to all of these elements. I don’t know how I’ll use this knowledge down the road but just having it will certainly benefit me at some point or at least give me better insight.
Overall, what I’m finding is that there’s plenty of crossover in both industries. I didn’t think that this would be the case when I initially started the program because my mentality was that they’re two completely separate industries. Of course they still can be in some ways, but depending on my approach there’s a lot of crossover that can be highly inventive and almost untapped. I’m very much looking forward to seeing what challenges I’m able to overcome if I keep an open mind and consider the vast possibilities that could potentially include crossover of both realms in my work.